The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has officially revoked the permission to import yarn from India through key land ports, including Benapole, Bhomra, Sonamasjid, Banglabandha, and Burimari. This decision, announced through a new notification, takes immediate effect. These ports had been the primary gateways for yarn imports from India.
The latest directive, issued on April 15, 2025, supersedes an earlier notification from August 27, 2024.
The move follows rising concerns about Indian yarn and fabric entering the Bangladeshi market at dumping prices, negatively impacting the local textile industry. On February 24, 2025, the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) raised the issue, urging the government and key policymakers to take immediate action.
At a press conference held at the Gulshan Club in Dhaka, BTMA representatives detailed the ongoing crisis in the textile sector. They cited several contributing factors, including increases in gas and electricity prices, a shortage of U.S. dollars, soaring bank interest rates of up to 18%, reduced cash incentives for exports due to LDC graduation requirements, and the devaluation of the Bangladeshi Taka — all leading to a severe shortage of working capital.
In response to these concerns, NBR Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan issued the updated directive. While land route imports have been halted, yarn can still be imported through sea routes or other alternatives.
